Do any supplements, foods or lifestyle modifications help with brain function, like memory and cognition?

Make sure you don't have a piece of blueberry on a tooth. They stain. Of course it happened right after I had my teeth cleaned. lolol

In college I needed a nap at around 4pm. It cleared my mind and relaxed me so that I could study better. But, here is the interesting part. I used a timer because if I napped twenty minutes I got kind of a sleepy grogginess—100% of the time But if I napped for 15 minutes, I was sharp and alert. 100% of the time. Maybe 20 minutes brought me into the beginning of sleep mode , while 15mins was the perfect dose to benefit from the pre-sleep mode.

Do you have any information on the benefits of taking pregnenolone for older adults for mental acuity and memory?

While listing the benefits of blueberries you fail to mention the dangers! In the film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the character Violet Beauregarde turn blues, inflates, and expand into a giant blueberry.after chewing a non-perfected strip of chewing gum. She is then rolled out of the room by three Oompa-Loompas and through the door with the assistance of her mother. A cautionary tale, no doubt.

I wonder if results from studies using fresh fruit are not different than those based on consumption of "freeze-dried" fruit or other extracted compounds from fruit. Enzymes and perhaps other important substances may be destroyed or altered with processing thus resulting in contradictory results of lab studies.

Regarding the association or lack of association of PPIs with dementia, the Bayer study is somewhat reassuring, but three years is surely not long enough to detect a potential increase in dementia.

Does Citicoline 100 mg help with memory loss

Wow! There is a LOT of stuff on here about every kind of supplement BUT there is NOTHING about the amount of sleep a person needs in order to have adequate brain function! Trust me, a lack of sleep will hamper your ability to think clearly!! So before you reach for a drug or supplement, check into the amount of actual sleep you are getting. Getting adequate sleep is truly a game changer, both for physical, mental and psychological health. In fact, lack of sleep can cause psychosis. See https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/sleep-apnea/sleep-deprivation-psychosis-is-a-real-thing.

Has anyone researched or had experience with either Elysium products or Advanced Bionutritionals? Both companies touted that their products are research-based.

Does Prevagen help with memory loss?

My DNA relative to dementia is somewhat mixed. My grandparents on my mother's side never had any signs of cognitive decline and lived into their 80s (grandma almost 90). All four of their children had some level of dementia. My mother and one of her brothers only suffered short term memory loss. They repeated themselves constantly but they always remembered their children and could talk about things that happened earlier in their life. They both lived into their 80s. My mother's sister and her other brother were both smokers. They both got dementia in their early 70s that progressed fairly quickly to the point they didn't know anyone. They both died before 80. I try to just eat well and don't take any supplements specific to cognition. I have heard positive things about phosphatidylserine, however, at best, it seems that the benefit may be short lived and not slow the progression of any disease.

I know of one supplement that produces noticeable effects for myself mentally...Herbal Extract Memory Complex. Problem is I can only take it for 4-5 days before it is too much...really wakes me up. Was no longer available...but now is..Swanson.

Dr. Amen recommends ginkgo biloba supplements to his patients...he does brain scans showing areas of weak circulation.

I've tried several nootropic supplements at various times and my conclusion is that they can be effective...but you need to watch your sleep cause nothing is going to make you worse mentally than not getting enough good sleep.

What about Uridine and Alpha-GPC?

Just yesterday I was listening to an online series of Alzheimers and the latest information. A comment about blueberries was that frozen blueberries (which have had the cell walls burst by freezing) actually make the nutrients more readily available than fresh blueberries.

I have found that Dr David Perlmutter's input on brain function is very worthwhile.

I especially want to respond to Robert8669's comment. His analyses are spot on, especially his concluding remark: "For now, the top of my list includes regulating blood sugar, exercising, and consuming a diverse array of antioxidants throughout each day, hedging my bets, if you will." Hedging our bets is what we MUST do for now. He also gets it right when he says, "If I had to guess today, I would say that the causes of Alzheimer's involve chronic inflammation and an unlucky combination of genetic dispositions." He goes on to say that beta-amyloid is a "firefighter" of sorts. Researchers are now raising the possibility that beta-amyliod may bet formed as the result of an immune response to cerebral inflammation, thus decreasing the tendency to demonize it. Perhaps a gross analogy is that beta-amyloid is the brain's scar tissue and, while scar tissue may not be our first choice, it ultimately serves a useful purpose. For now, who can say for sure?

The problem with taking a strong position on issues related to nutrition and Alzheimer's (and Alzheimer's prevention) is that we really don't understand the causes of the disease.

While the beta-amyloid causal model is popular in certain medical circles and with the public, there is very little evidence to support it and much evidence that contradicts it. Beta-amyloid seems to be involved but probably in ways similar to the way cholesterol is involved in artery disease and firefighters are involved in fires. All are present at the event but they are probably an effect and not a cause. Why is this important? Treating effects is less certain to bring benefits than identifying and interfering with causes.

Until we know better, the list provided by CL, including Magnesium L-threonate, falls into the "it couldn't hurt and is otherwise beneficial" category, especially if you have reason to suspect genetic predisposition. It is also worth noting that the incidence of Alzheimer's is low in areas that consume a great deal of turmeric in their daily diets. Perhaps, but we should also consider that these diets are also associated with large amounts of ginger, garlic, and other potentially beneficial dietary products.

The issue gets even more complicated when considering what my neurosurgeon friends tell me about the low correlation between cognitive function and physical deterioration of the brain in Alzheimer's patients. Some people seem to lose cognitive function quickly with relatively little brain damage while other individuals remain cognitively competent despite widespread physical deterioration. What does this mean? We do not know.

If I had to guess today, I would say that the causes of Alzheimer's involve chronic inflammation and an unlucky combination of genetic dispositions. My guess is that beta-amyloid will turn out to be one of the firefighters.

For now, the top of my list includes regulating blood sugar, exercising, and consuming a diverse array of antioxidants throughout each day, hedging my bets, if you will.

Is there any info on prevagen?

In a paper by Dale Bredesen, he also mentions CDP Choline, bacopa monnieri, and resveratrol. He also introduces the idea of a multifaceted program to reverse cognitive decline. I think this is a fascinating possibility and that we will learn more about it in years to come. Please comment on those supplements as well, as I did find research that seems to support their use.
Here's the link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4221920/

What about fisetin? Search for Pamela Maher's work at the Salk Institute.

What about phosphatidylserine? I have heard that helps with brain function.

Has Consumerlab looked at any of the other popular nootropics such as the racetam group of compounds (e.g. piracetam, oxiracetam, etc.)? They've started showing up in functional beverages like TruBrain.

You should mention vinpocetine which is widely used in Europe in treat low blood flow to the brain. In a double-blind placebo-controlled trial it was found to be effective for treating senile dementia. Available from any vitamin/supplement seller and not expensive.

Another over-the counter product that has been touted by naturopathic doctors is Cebria which supposedly contains a neuropeptide that enhances the glucose levels in the brain by crossing the blood-brain barrier. However, it is a pricier patented product like Protandim (recently tested by ConsumerLab) and only available from the manufacturer. Online comments range from 5 stars "thumbs up" to 1 star "scam" and "ripoff". Perhaps ConsumerLab will someday test it.

What about Vinpocetine? There are quite a few studies showing it has a significant impact on cognition and memory..